Coupling device



May 25, 1954 w. J. s. JOHNSON COUPLING DEVICE Filed July 1, 1949 IN V EN TOR. Mum: 5. Jam/Jaw -device is generally Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED mrss OF- FTICTE ".COUPLIN G DEVICE tion'of-fialifornia ApplicationiJulyil, 1949, Serial No. 102,542

4" Claims.

ship.

It is an object-f the present invention.t0 provide a coupling device which is adapted tto couple together tubular scaiiolding members in right angular or other-desired relationship,-. such coupling device being simplein its construction and easy to manipulate and operate.

.It isafurther object of the invention .to proc-utting and other. forming operations.

It is a still furtherobject of the-invention to working parts and being adapted .to .securely and firmly clamp together tubular scalfolding members. 25

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the "ensuing "description "and the appended "claims.

The invention is *exemp-lifiedin the "following description-and*il-lustratedby Way of-example n in-the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. T 1

Fig. 6 is a. plan view of the blank .used in fab- 45 ricating: the clamping. caps.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a'modified formof the invention J Referring. now to .the drawings; .the coupling shown-inFigs. 1, 2' and 3 as couplingtoge'ther apair of tubular scaffolding members Il= and f2 inright-angular relations-hip.

Referring now -more particularly to "Figs. 14

andfi, a blank rs is "shown in Fig. 4 which" is 55 minimum of plan view .of .:the blank .usedin 0 designated as.f0 and itis 50 formed forith'epurpose of fabricating a centerpiece or central memberi l'iwhich is shown-in EigJS. "The blank T13, 'asi'llustrated, comprises a central bo'dy portion! fiha'ving anapproximately circular'hole I6 formed therein. Above the hole, as viewed in Fig. "4; the body portion is recessed at "ILandtheblahk is'formed with arms T8 extending at'right .anglestdthe longitudinal axis offthel body portion 15. The arms IB are'bifurcated'as illustrated,"'to provide ears l9 and i911 and at its outer .end each ear is formed with.acircu1ar"boss"2ll in Which'acirculafholell is "formed. At' its other endythe bodyv portion [5 is integral Witharms' which, Iike'the upper arms l'8,are 'disposed'at right angles to the" longitudinal axis of the body; portion. and are bifurcated to provide ears "26' and 26ayeach of which is formed at its 'outerend with a circular boss 21' having a circular hole EB'TOrmed'therein. 4

"TheTblank 13 is preferably fabricated of sheet metaland most-advantageously of aluminumor a .suitable alloy of aluminum which provides adequate strength, ductility and properties which lerid..themselves to'forming operations. such as cutting-stamping, bending and drawing.

fR'efer'ring now'to.Fig. 5,ithe body portionili T solid anglei29xbisetting the holel-fi. "If "desired, the bend'inthe bo'dyportion'lfi maylbe. along a radius to.provide .atcylindrical section, but the concave-convexcontourtprovidedby simple bending accomplishes thepurpose explained hereinafter. The ears ['9 are bent through-approximately aright angle, as illustrated, .so as to' lie in the same plane. The ears. lilasare bent so that they overliethe earsYlBUand'their holes'2i are in registry with .the.holes.2l of .the'ears 19. The arms [8. are bent and curvedso' that they form aspl'it sleeve. 30, Ithesections of which are separated by a recess [1.

.At. the-Other end. of the blank 13, the earsTZG are bentforwardlyiso' as to lie in the'same plane and -the.ears26a arebent so that theyoverlie the ears 26an'd their'holes 28 are in registry portion l5 and. arms 25 arebent and curved to'forma sleevellfl.

"It willlbe seen that "the central memberl l comprises a concave-convex body portion :15 having. a medial hole f6 formed thereinwhich is open'to'fthe convex face of the body portion; that it is provided with a pair of sleevesSfi and 40 .whichulie in spaced, parallel planes that'it is 'alsdprovided' with a. pair of perforated lugs clamped between the central member l4 and the 65 4 4| (formed by ears l9, I912, 25 and 26a on one metal, such as sheet aluminum and its alloys, by side of the body portion) and another pair of conventional metal forming operations such as lugs 42 (formed by ears l9, etc. on the other side cutting, stamping, bending and drawing. The of the body), which lie in spaced parallel planes; clamping device is simple in its structure and and that the planes in which the lugs 4| and 42 operation. It involves only two major operating lie are perpendicular to the planes in which or moving elements, namely, the leftand rightthe sleeves 3t! and 40 lie. Obviously, of course, hand clamping caps 55, and it also involves only these planes can be made to intersect at any two bolts 55 and BI and their cooperating nuts desired angle, as by twisting the lugs 41 and 42. for obtaining the clamping action.

Referring now to Fig. 6, a blank generally Among the particular advantages of the coudesignated as l is provided, such blank bein pling device of the invention are the following:

of similar metal to the blank l3. The blank it- The clamping bolts 59 and Gil are parallel and are self is shown in Fig. 6 in solid lines, and as there spaced 180 apart. Also, hinge pins 55 and 58 illustrated it is formed with a central body porare parallel to one another and binge pins 51 45, depending ears 56, each having a circular l5 n 6| re parall l to on an ther. Caps 55 are hole 51 at its outer end, and the ears to are symmetrically shaped and loaded. Consequently, spaced rather widely apart by a recess 48. At the locking action on the tubes H and I2 is acits other end, the blank 44 is formed with ears coinplished by direct pulling forces which are 49 which are spaced apart by a U-shaped recess parallel but are spaced 180 apart. A balanced u. looking action is thus achieved, and the locking The blank 45 thus described and illustrated, is force exerted on one tube is directly transferred fabricated into a, finished clamping member or to the other tube. There is no twisting of the cap generally designated as 55. This cap is illusstructure by unbalanced forces. trated in Fig. 6 in broken lines. Such fabrica- The central member I4 is bent from a sin l tion is accomplished by twisting the ear 46 1 strip or metal of uniform thickness, and it is so ward one another through an angle of 90 so that shaped as to involve a minimum tage of methey lie in parallel planes with their holes 51 in -"1&

axial alignment, while the upper ears are simi- The tubes H and 12 are clamped very close to larly twisted toward each other through an angle One r, i g Spaced p rt l ss than the of 90. thickness of the central member M. This is due In assembling the several elements of the cout0 the provision f h l 15 a d o t e fact pling device, a, sin le central membe 14 a d a that this hol assumes an elliptical form, with pair of clamping caps 55 are provided. One of s major i P a l to the e When the the clamping caps 55, namely, that shown at the body portion I5 is t- Close pr mity f th right in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is hingedl mounted on tubes is desirable to minimize eccentricity of ada hinge pin 56 which passes through the holes jacent tubes, but actual contact is undesirable 41 formed in'ears 46 of the clamping cap 55 because of denting and abrasion. v

and through the sleeve 45 formed on the central Although the coupling device of th invention member I l. The other or left-hand clamping may be made of any suitable material, a metal cap 55, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, is hingedly 40 such as well known alloys of aluminum is premounted on a hinge pin 51 which passes through fei'red, which has a modulus of elasticity subthe holes 41 in the ears 46 of the clamping cap stantially less than that of steel. Thus, suitable 55 and also through the holes 2| and 28 in lugs aluminum alloys have a modulus of elasticity, a y a tubular Sleeve 0r p er t on third that of steel. Since the coupling device shown) is mounted on the hing pin 51 between is designed for the purpose of flexing to conform the lug ll. The coupling device is also PI to the contour of the coupled members, it will be vlded wlth hinge 58 extendmg through the apparent that a more flexible metal is desirable.

split sleeve 30 and with an eyebolt 59 mounted While I have Shown the preferred form of my at one end on the hinge pm 58 Within the recess invention, it is to be understood that various ll. The other end of the bolt 59 is received bechanges may be made in its construction by those tween the ears as of clampmg cap and a nut skilled in the art without departing from the 50 is threaded onto the outer end of the bolt 59. By tightening the nut to, it will be obvious that of we mvemmn as defined m the appended a pipe or tubular scafiolding member II will be i i firmly clamped between the central member l4 rial/mg 5 descnbed my what. I and the right hand clamping cap 55. A hinge claim and (1651336 to secure by letters Patent is: pin 6| passes through holes 2| and 28 in lugs 42 A devlce of the J descnbed compnsmg and a bolt 62 is mounted on the hinge pin 6| by sheet metal element having a generally rectangumeans of a sleeve 63. The other end of the bolt tar body be nt into a generally curved configura" B2 is received between the ears 49 of the left tion to enable the ends of the body to fiex toward hand clamping cap 55 and a nut is threaded a tube adapted to be arranged against and along onto the outer end oi the bolt 62. It will be the back 0f the body and pmvide a cradle at obvious that by tightening the nut 64, a pipe the front adapted to receive another tube and tubula, S if m position the tube across the body from side to or 1 ca 0 mg ember W111 be firmly side at approximately right angles to the first tube, said body portion having at least one perfoleft-hand clamping cap 55. r to e d n o n 1 d Referring now to Fig. 7, there 18 shown a modii 2 3 22; sigh; g .gggg ig fi i g fied form of central member m Whlch the ends reversely bent to provide knuckles and the u per and lower ends of the e Ilia (es viewed ears bent to position them behind the body with in Fig. 7) are cut away on both sides to form tabs their apertures t each side i alignment, aid

10. The b 10 a e, f l arcllate and, body portion having a central aperture into when t t y, y p d d s to s which a portion of said first named tubing is uponthe tube l2. adapted to project, whereby said tubes may be It will thus be apparent that a coupling device closely disposed, said central aperture being re is provided which is easily fabricated from sheet stricted in size so that said projecting portion of said first tube does not project far enough into said aperture to contact said second tube, openable clamping means swingably mounted in said ears for grippin the tubing disposed along the back of the body, and other openable clamping means swingably mounted in said knuckles for gripping the tubing disposed across the front of the body, whereby the sheet metal element is deformed to assume a position where the forces applied to one tube are equal to the forces applied to the other tube.

2. A device of the class described comprising a sheet metal element having a generally rectangular body bent into a generally curved configuration to enable the ends of the body to flex toward a tube adapted to be arranged against and along the ba :1 of the body and to provide a cradle at the front adapted to receive another tube and position the tube across the body from side to side at approximately right angles to the first tube, said body portion having at least one perforated ear adjacent each corner disposed laterally of the sides of the body, said body having the ends reversely bent to provide knuckles and the ears bent to position them behind the body and with the apertures on each side in alignment, openable clamping means swingably mounted in said ears for gripping the tubing disposed along the back of the body, and other openable clamping means swingably mounted in said knuckles for gripping the tubing disposed across the front of the body, whereby the sheet metal element is deformed to assume a position where the forces applied to one tube are equal to the forces applied to the other tube.

3. A device of the class described comprising a sheet metal element having a generally rectangu lar body bent into a generally curved configuration to enable the ends of the body to flex toward a tube adapted to be arranged against and along the back of the body and to provide a cradle at the front adapted to receive another tube and position the tube across the body from side to side at approximately right angles to the first tube, said body portion having a pair of perforated ears adjacent each corner disposed laterally of the sides of the body, said body having the ends reversely bent to provide knuckles and the ears bent to position the ears of each pair in overlapping abutting relationship and the pairs of cars on each side of the body with their apertures in alignment, openable clamping means swingably mounted in said ears for gripping the tubing disposed along the back of the body, and other openable clamping means swingably mounted in said knuckles for grippin the tubing disposed along the front of the body, whereby the sheet metal element is deformed to assume a position where the forces applied to one tube are equal to the forces applied to the other tube.

4. A device of the class described comprising a sheet metal element having a generally rectangular body bent into a generally curved configuration to enable the ends of the body to flex toward a tube adapted to be arranged against and along the back of the body and to provide a cradle at the front adapted to receive another tube and position the tube across the body from side to side at approximately right angles to the first tube, said body portion having a pair of perforated ears adjacent each corner disposed laterally of the sides of the body, said body having the ends reversely bent to provide knuckles and the ears bent to position the ears of each pair in overlapping abutting relationship and the pairs of ears on each side of the body with their apertures in alignment, openable clamping means swingably mounted in said ears for gripping the tubing disposed along the back of the body, and other openable clamping means swingably mounted in said knuckles for gripping the tubing disposed along the front of the body, said body portion having a, central aperture into which a portion of said first named tubing is adapted to project, whereby said tubes may be closely disposed, said central aperture being restricted in size so that said projecting portion of said first tube does not project far enough into said aperture to contact said second tube, whereby the sheet metal element is deformed to assume a position where the forces applied to one tube are equal to the forces applied to the other tube.

References Cited in the file of thi patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,783,735 Marshall Dec. 2, 1930 2,088,890 Winby Aug. 3, 1937 2,152,891 Kohnke Apr. 4, 1939 2,194,883 Burton Mar. 26, 1940 2,402,570 ODonnell June 25, 1946 2,511,035 Barton June 13, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 573,189 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1945 

